"Doctor, something unusual has happened. There's been exposure of those creatures in the sea. Dawn just detected an energy fluctuation that doesn't belong to this current phase."

Yang Tianzheng immediately stood up. "What's going on? Where is 'Beloved'? How is the Sleeper's awakening progressing? Go down there now and give those sea folks a good education!"

Zhou Xiaonan was dumbfounded. Was this the unflappable doctor she knew? Even during the first outbreak of the apocalypse, the doctor hadn't been this agitated. And now, all because of this one observation subject…

Oh well, the doctor's already gone mad. Best to stay out of it. No matter how crazy he gets, at least he can still keep us alive, probably… maybe…

"Doctor, 'Beloved' shows no abnormalities. In fact, we haven't detected any use of abilities from 'Beloved' recently. The bio-energy fluctuations are always very weak."

Indeed, Lin Mo's ability was now primarily used to heat food. As for other things, he had been raised into a useless person by Kaka…

"No, that won't do. Send the activated squad down first and kill all those unruly bastards."

Yang Tianzheng said grimly.

Zhou Xiaonan didn't know what to say. This was too absurd. How could their doctor do something so irrational? The creatures in the sea would go crazy.

"Doctor…"

"What are you still doing here? Go now!"

Zhou Xiaonan really wanted to say that it was just one person, whom he hadn't even met, only seen photos of. There was no need to be so extreme. Even if Beloved died, they could just collect some genes and replicate him.

Zhou Xiaonan didn't really understand. Then again, if she had to kill Number 13, she would be very reluctant too. Replicated beings could not be considered normal humans after all.

Thinking of this, she stuck out her tongue. "I understand, Doctor. I'll go right away."

Activating the Sleepers was simply a self-check of the body. Once the control program confirmed that the machine was functioning properly, it would inject bio-energy to provide power for activity.

Zhou Xiaonan passed through the tunnel, through layers of security doors, and arrived at a pitch-black room. It was noisy, filled with the sound of server racks cooling and the constant gurgling of nutrient fluid.

Pipes were scattered haphazardly on the floor. Compared to Dawn's main hall, this was like a slum.

She arrived at the most exquisite and cleanest test tube and gently reached out to caress it, leaving a small handprint on the glass.

"Number 13, when will you awaken? I miss you… Sigh, never mind, I should get to work."

With a series of operations by Zhou Xiaonan, the various green and red indicator lights throughout the hall became the dominant theme of the space.

"Hmm, let's send Experimental Subjects 34 and 35."

Those were the conjoined vats in the corner, one male and one female, looking very intimate. Zhou Xiaonan looked at them with some envy. "Hmph, let the two of you wake up first. Remember to thank me, and bring me some native food from below."

Dawn did have storage for greenery, but it was mostly used as a gene bank. The few experimental fields were only used for snacks when they were feeling peckish. Most of the time, they had to rely on various nutrient fluids to survive.

After all, Dawn wasn't a resort ship. It was a serious survival ship for the end of the world. The main modules were for civilization reconstruction and wasteland reclamation.

The remaining parts were all experimental pods.

Just as Zhou Xiaonan was thinking this, the two woke up. Forced activation didn't have any side effects, at least none that had been discovered yet. However, this method consumed too much energy, and the space station couldn't sustain it, so it could only be activated slowly, bit by bit.

Moreover, after activation, a lot of power was needed to maintain the Sleeper's daily activities due to the suppression from Dawn's servers; otherwise, they would fall back into slumber...

If it weren't for Yang Tianzheng's temporary order, Zhou Xiaonan wouldn't have done such a thankless task. This was originally Number 13's job. Thinking of this, Zhou Xiaonan couldn't help but puff out her cheeks.

"Hmph, I'll remember this." She shook her little fist at the central vat.

With a series of somewhat harsh sounds of nutrient fluid being drained, two naked bodies stumbled out.

"Greetings, Senior Researcher Number 002."

"Mm, you are clear on your orders this time, right? Monitor the high-energy mass beneath the sea and destroy it directly. Understand?"

"Yes."

These Sleepers had their own thoughts, of course, but orders came first. As for why they had some of their own personalities, it was still because Dawn's technology wasn't mature enough to completely integrate personality with the combat skills in their memories.

Completely erasing it would make the body too stiff when controlled entirely by the program. So, they compromised by clearing some memories and adding a streamlined brainwashing process to achieve the purpose of control.

Of course, there were still red lines. Senior researchers had more authority than the original brain's consciousness.

This way, they wouldn't attack their own people.

After evolving to the level of 34 and 35, they could completely perform cosmic flight with their physical bodies. Of course, they just wouldn't die, and all the effects they should receive wouldn't be reduced at all.

Riding in a return capsule, the two went back.

They landed steadily on the sea surface.

"How nostalgic. It's been so long since I've seen this scene."

Sleep would be accompanied by endless artificial dreams, and the process of brainwashing was constantly received in them, so the subjective time was actually similar.

"Mm, remember to bring food back for Researcher 002. I remember, she likes to eat... eat what?...”

"Can't remember?"

"Memory loss... No such item found..."

"Dr. Yang sent the highest instruction. Give priority to confirming the safety of the SSS-level observation target 'Beloved'. Do not attack her under any circumstances."

[Confirmed, highest authority.]

…………

"Doctor, won't this get out of control? The energy intensity on them is too high now. Dawn can't see anything."

Yang Tianzheng tapped his fingers, seeming to smile nonchalantly.

"It's okay, it's safe."

"Oh. Then, Doctor, can I tell you something... It's just, can Number 13 be revived early, even at the lowest energy intensity?" Zhou Xiaonan's expression was pitiful, but Yang Tianzheng remained unmoved.

He said righteously, "Zhou Xiaonan, Dawn doesn't belong to me alone. No one can use the hope of all mankind here for their own personal affairs. Do you understand?"

"Oh..."

"Don't mention this kind of thing again in the future. Dawn's resources are running low, and we can't waste them like this."

"Oh..."

"What, do you have any objections?"

Zhou Xiaonan stuck out her little tongue, trying to play it off. The doctor had become more humane recently and wasn't as cold as a machine like he was at the beginning, but he was also getting more talkative. There was never this kind of lecture before.

"No, Doctor, I'll leave right away."

The laboratory quieted down. Yang Tianzheng sat in his seat, tilting his head and staring at the photo on the table, the corners of his mouth curving up uncontrollably.

"It feels so good to be a hypocrite..."

………………